Pesto Chicken Pasta — Two Ways

Sometimes you need a dinner that keeps everyone happy without making two completely separate meals.

This one started as a simple pesto chicken pasta for the fussier eater at the table, then once that portion was served, I loaded the rest up with extra veggies and buckwheat pasta for myself.

The result? Both versions were a winner. And any recipe that gets vegetables into a fussy eater while still giving me a bowl full of the good stuff deserves a place in the CYD Kitchen. ⭐

Ingredients

For the base

• 1 kg chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1–2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 bunch broccolini, chopped
• 3–4 asparagus spears, chopped into similar-sized pieces to the broccolini
• 190 g jar basil pesto
• 400 ml cream
• Approx. ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
• Butter or extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Herbamare, to taste
• Black pepper
• Pasta of choice
• A little reserved pasta water, if needed

For the loaded veggie version

• Mushrooms, sliced
• Capsicum, diced
• Zucchini, diced
• Cherry tomatoes, halved
• Extra broccolini or asparagus if you like
• Buckwheat pasta, or your favourite pasta
• Extra Parmesan, to serve

Method

Cook your chosen pasta according to the packet directions. If you're making different pasta for different people, simply cook them separately. Reserve a little pasta water before draining.

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and season with Herbamare and black pepper.

Heat a little butter, ghee or extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary so it browns nicely rather than overcrowding the pan. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, gently cook the finely diced onion until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so.

Add the broccolini and asparagus and cook briefly until they're just beginning to soften.

Reduce the heat and add the whole 190 g jar of pesto, cream and Parmesan. Return the chicken to the pan and gently stir everything together until the chicken is coated and the sauce is heated through.

Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.

For the fussier eater

This is where you can stop.

Serve some of the pesto chicken mixture with their preferred pasta, keeping things simple with chicken, pesto, broccolini and asparagus.

Little CYD trick: cutting the asparagus into pieces similar in size to the broccolini makes it far less noticeable to anyone who tends to inspect their dinner a little too closely. 😂

Now load up the rest

Once you've served the simpler version, remove the remaining pesto chicken mixture from the pan and set it aside briefly.

Add your mushrooms, capsicum and zucchini to the same pan and sauté for a few minutes until just cooked but still with a little bite.

Add the cherry tomatoes towards the end so they warm and soften slightly without disappearing into the sauce.

Return the pesto chicken mixture to the pan and toss everything together.

Add your cooked buckwheat pasta — or whatever pasta you're using — and gently mix until everything is coated. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.

Finish with extra Parmesan and black pepper.

CYD Kitchen Notes ⭐

This is definitely a use-what-you-have recipe. Mushrooms, capsicum, zucchini and tomato were delicious, but there's no reason you couldn't throw in spinach, peas or whatever vegetables need using up.

Regular pasta works perfectly for the simpler version, while buckwheat pasta makes a great alternative for the loaded version.

And most importantly, you don't have to cook two completely separate dinners. Start with one family-friendly base, dish out what you need, then load yours up with all the good stuff afterwards.

CYD tip: I chop all of my vegetables quite small. They cook quickly, mix right through the pasta and you get a little bit of everything in each mouthful. It’s also a handy trick for anyone who’s a bit suspicious of vegetables! 😆

Simple, adaptable, and officially fussy-eater approved. ⭐